First Smoke Attempt...9.6lb butt...Is my plan good?

[NDKoze]

Tony made a great point about trimming the fat. My Sam's Club butts are pretty much good to go out of the package, so I sometimes forget that others have butts with thicker fat caps on.

Trim the cap to 1/4" and use a mustard binder before adding your rub and you will not want to trim any of what is left (chewy bark) when you remove your butt from the smoker.

[jpowell]

I didn't have a lot of external fat ... it was more internal that I was removing when pulling by hand.

I did trim the other side down to 1/4" or so...you can get a glimpse of it in the smoker...


I'll post up a pick of the next one BEFORE smoking to get input on whether I've cut enough external.
Thanks for the feedback everyone!  Much appreciated!

[jpowell]

also - just started another thread here on ideas for feeding 100ish people ... your feedback on that appreciated too :-)
http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=4966.0

[Pork Belly]

Trim if it makes you happy but I never do. I suggest getting untrimmed butts either in cryovac or from the butcher if you don't want to buy the pair.

1. Brine is optional
2. Score the fat cap nearly all the way through with a series of lines making 1 inch squares
3. Rub and smoke as you always do
4. The majority of the fat will render and you will have little crispy squares of bark.

[DivotMaker]

That butt certainly doesn't look too fat, Jason!  Try the bear claws, when you pull the next one...they'll blend that internal fat into the meat and make it scrumpdidlicious!